Defending MCE Insurance British Superbike champion Shane
'Shakey' Byrne smashed the existing lap record of Snetterton to set
the fastest ever lap of the Norfolk circuit on his way to
celebrating pole position ahead of tomorrow's two races.

The top nine riders prepared themselves for the first Superpole
shootout of the season and first to exit pitlane was championship
leader Luke Mossey. The JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider set the
benchmark with his fastest lap of the weekend, with Jakub Smrz
making his first appearance in Superpole. The Czech rider made a
mistake at Wilson and had to settle for second.

Next up to attack a flying lap was Leon Haslam, who had fired
himself into Superpole in the final stages of Q2. He then outpaced
his team-mate to move to the top of the times with his flying lap
as Dan Linfoot then rolled out of pitlane to start his Superpole
bid for the top.

Linfoot's best effort put him third fastest behind the JG
Speedfit Kawasakis of Haslam and Mossey as Jason O'Halloran on the
second of the Honda Racing Fireblades began his flying lap. The
Australian was gaining momentum and he crossed the line to move
ahead and put himself as the new target at the top of the
times.

James Ellison was next to shoot out for his Superpole lap on the
McAMS Yamaha and he was consistently improving, as he crossed the
line he had done just enough to push O'Halloran back into second
with just Josh Brookes, Jake Dixon and Byrne left to set a lap.

Brookes was wrestling with the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha but he
could only post the fifth fastest time as Dixon got his flying lap
underway at the RAF Reserves Kawasaki's home circuit. Knockhill
double winner Dixon was only marginally faster than Brookes to put
himself fourth and then all eyes were on Byrne.

The five-time champion set a blistering pace to lap the
2.968-mile circuit in the fastest ever time, with an incredible lap
of 1m:46.024s to put him 0.537s ahead of Ellison to claim pole
position ahead of Ellison and O'Halloran who complete the front
row.